Instructor: McNicholas
Group Tests
Group tests give you the opportunity to first try challenging problems yourself and then discuss
them with your classmates. While you do have to study for these exams, they are not meant to be
a high-stress learning experience. Rather, they allow you to work with your peers to improve
your critical reading, analytic thinking, and problem solving skills. They also give you valuable
practice verbalizing mathematical ideas. The following outlines the process of taking a group test
and how they will be graded.
Taking a Group Test:
 To prepare for the group exam you should make sure you fully understand all the
material presented in class. You should also review your old homework assignments
and go over the problems you found challenging.
 Each student will prepare a page of notes that they will bring with them to class. This
page of notes demonstrates to both your group, and to me, that you are prepared to
contribute to the group exam. It also serves as a study guide, outlining and organizing
important concepts. You may refer to this page of notes during the exam. You will turn
it in with your exam at the end of the class period.
 I will assign you to groups of two or three based on your preparedness for the previous
group test. These groups will be announced in class, either on the day of the exam, or
during the previous class meeting.
 On the day of the exam you will sit with your group. Each member of the group will be
given a different question to answer. You are responsible for answering your question
and proof-reading the answers of your group members. Usually the first 10-15 minutes
are spent quietly working on your individual problems. The remaining class time is
spent discussing your problems and proof-reading solutions.
 Be thoughtful and respectful in your comments to your group members. If you observe a
problem with their solution, point it out politely and discuss it with your group. I will be
available to answer questions during the class period, but you should first discuss things
with your fellow group members.
 At the end of the exam, group members should know how to do all three problems.
Grading the Group Test:
 Each exam is worth 50 points – 40 for the problem you answered, and 10 for proofreading the solutions of your group members.
 The 10 points of proof-reading can be lost if one of your group members makes a mistake
you should have caught. You will loose half the points they lost for making the mistake,
up to a maximum of 10 points.
 You should be able to catch conceptual and algebraic mistakes.
 You will NOT loose points for overlooking arithmetic mistakes, unless they lead to
answers which are clearly incorrect.
 You will NOT loose points if your group member simply does not know how to do the
problem and leaves it blank. You group should try to solve the problem together, but
everyone needs to pull their own weight.
 You will loose points if you don’t turn in your page of notes with the exam.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.